You’ve created an Instagram business page, added a couple of posts and begun sharing information about your service and offerings. Now you’re asking yourself if you can find customers with only an Instagram page without a website and without spending much on advertisements.
It’s an important consideration for small business owners, freelancers and those at the beginning of their business journey.
The short answer is that a business can generate enquiries from Instagram, but your page has to be created with the customer in mind, with reasons to choose you over the competition, and with the necessary contact information.
Let’s explore some ways to achieve that.
Depending on the type of service you offer, it’s possible to get customers on just your Instagram page without a website.
A home baker who regularly posts photos of their products, shares customer testimonials and provides instructions for placing an order will allow interested guests to browse their offerings and request to buy a cake without visiting their website or physical address.
Similar Instagram business page examples could be a beautician, photographer, fitness trainer or handyman providing services for local customers.
An account selling more complex services or products may require more convincing before a customer commits to a conversation or makes a purchase.
That could be an accountant who needs to detail the scope of their services, cost, and required information before a client can request a call or send an inquiry. It really depends on what information your potential customer will need before choosing your service.
After visiting your Instagram page, a potential customer should be able to understand what service you provide and who you help.
Avoid vague descriptions such as ‘Welcome to our page’, ‘Quality service, customer satisfaction’.
Use a call to action in your headline that encourages the target audience to reach out. For example, ‘Help small businesses improve their websites and web presence. Message us about your requirements’.
Ensure that your contact information is easily found and that your page has the right tools to help you receive more messages.
Depending on the features available to your page type, you may be able to add email, phone, messaging functions or a relevant link to your website. Avoid hiding your contact details in your posts or stories.
Make sure that you regularly check messages, as there may be a potential customer asking for a quote or discussing their requirements.
Your page content should educate and inform your target audience.
For example, a digital marketing agency may share insights into why websites receive visits but no enquiries, while an estate agent may discuss what to look for before arranging a viewing. What can you share on your Instagram page that can help your target audience?
Examples could include common mistakes before a purchase, daily tips in your industry, before and after examples of your services, answers to frequently asked questions, customer testimonials, how you operate and what information you need for a quotation, and instructions for requesting a quotation or booking.
Of course, not every post has to be a call to action, but sometimes simply replying to a question can help a potential customer learn more about your service.
Reels are a great way to reach new audiences, whilst stories are a great way to engage existing followers. You can use your Instagram business page to its full potential by posting informative and engaging content tailored to your audience.
For example, an estate agent could make a reel about three things to check when looking at an apartment for sale, whilst a home baker could show how a custom cake is made and the ordering process.
You can use stories to respond to common questions, advertise availability, and encourage people to message you. There is no guarantee that any specific post, reel or story will reach more people, so it’s always worth trying out different content and observing what works.
Having an audience is only part of the puzzle – you need to give them a reason to get in touch.
Let’s examine the ideal customer journey:
A potential customer sees your post -> they visit your page -> they understand what you can offer -> they message you -> discuss their requirements -> become a qualified lead for your business.
Every step of the journey should be made as simple as possible, and your page content should guide the customer through the process. For example, if somebody asks how much your service costs, give them the information they need. If you need more information to provide a quotation, ask them a few relevant questions.
For businesses interested in Digital Marketing in Chennai, this distinction is important – growing an audience and getting leads are separate but related goals.
The short answer is yes, depending on the campaign objective and the features of your page you can collect leads through Instagram.
Meta has introduced a few different methods to collect leads on the platform. The options include:
Each of these options has its advantages and limitations, and the choice should be based on your buyer’s journey rather than available features. Here is a summary of the considerations for each method:
| Method | When it works best | What to consider |
|---|---|---|
| Instagram direct messages | Customer has questions before making a purchase | Requires a person to reply |
| WhatsApp enquiries | Business already uses WhatsApp for communication | Enquiries need to be tracked and responded to |
| Instant lead forms | Customer needs to provide contact information | Some leads may not be ready to purchase |
| Website landing page | Customer needs more information before making an enquiry | Requires a website landing page and proper tracking |
Instagram can be a powerful tool for reaching potential customers and building brand awareness, but people often use Google to research products and services before making a purchase.
A customer could find your Instagram page, search for your website on Google, and may want to see your website before choosing your service. Having a website gives you more opportunities to communicate with a customer.
For example, you can explain what you do, provide examples of your work, and help move the customer to the next stage in their journey. An SEO Agency in Chennai can help optimise a website to appear in organic search results by researching keywords, creating valuable content, and implementing technical improvements.
You don’t need a large-scale website to begin with – a simple website that explains the services you provide and your contact details may be enough to start with.
When starting with just a basic business page, here’s an outline of what you can do with your Instagram page.
| Week | Activity | Check |
|---|---|---|
| Week 1 | Update your bio, contact details, and offerings | Are people understanding your offering? |
| Week 2 | Post helpful content that answers customer questions | Are people saving, sharing or discussing your post? |
| Week 3 | Share work samples and invite relevant enquiries | Are you getting messages and bookings? |
| Week 4 | Review your content and follow up on enquiries | What content are you getting the most relevant enquiries from? |
This is a simple plan, and whilst it is not a guarantee that you will get leads in 4 weeks, it should help you get started and update your content as needed.
It is possible to get customers with zero followers, but it may take time. Sharing valuable content, getting shares and recommendations or using eligible paid campaigns will help you get noticed by the people who need your service the most. It is not guaranteed that you will get customers with zero followers.
It’s not necessary to post every day – choose a frequency that is manageable for you. A few helpful posts per week can be more effective than posting every day without a specific purpose.
Eligible campaigns may collect leads on the page, or collect contact details through an instant form. Paid advertisements may also include a link to a relevant website.
An effective digital marketing strategy will help you decide on your audience, content themes, calls to action, and how to measure your performance. The objective should always be to get relevant enquiries rather than simply increasing your followers.
Consider building a website if your customers require more information, if you need to improve your online presence, or if you’re providing a more complex service. A website can help you provide more detailed information to your customers and control what they see before they request a quotation or enquiry.